40 percent of people get sunburned on purpose

Despite the fact that 90 percent of the respondents to a recent survey acknowledged that getting sunburned can lead to cancer, four in 10 of them said they have allowed themselves to burn on purpose to “deepen” a tan. In fact, according to research from Macmillan Cancer Support, one-quarter of those surveyed felt that getting a burn was the only way to get a tan. Doctors says that ending up with a painful sunburn even once every two years can triple the risk of skin cancer.

Younger people – aged 18 to 35 – were more than twice as likely as their parents to think that getting burned was a fast way to get tan. And men were nearly twice as likely as women to not use any suntan lotion when soaking in the sun.

The researchers, who surveyed 1,000 U.K. residents about their practices in the sun, expressed concerns about their findings. Malignant melanoma– the most serious type of skin cancer – is on the rise in many countries. In the U.K. about 35 people are diagnosed with the cancer every day.

Aspirin cuts colon cancer risk

It has been well-established that aspirin is good for the heart, and now research from Massachusetts General Hospital provides evidence that the same pill could also help reduce the risk of colon cancer. The study found that risk of colon cancer can be lowered by as much as 27 percent if a person takes aspirin at least twice a week, as compared to those who took fewer doses or no aspirin at all. However, aspirin was found to have benefits only for colon cancer strains that did not have a BRAF mutation, which account for 10 to 15 percent of cases.

In a study of 127,000 people followed from the 1980s to today, the researchers documented 1,226 cases of colon cancer. They found that colon cancer occurred at a rate of 40.2 cases per 100,000 people among those who did not take aspirin, but was reduced to 30.5 cases per 100,000 among those who did regularly take aspirin. Those who took six to 12 doses of aspirin weekly were 30 percent less likely to develop non-BRAF mutated cancer than those who took no aspirin. For BRAF mutation colon cancers, there was no difference in occurrence between those who took aspirin and those who did not.

Despite its potential benefits, aspirin is not recommended as a cancer prevention technique, as there are risks of gastrointestinal bleeding and negative effects. You should always consult with a doctor before beginning an aspirin regimen.

Is Splenda safe?

The artificial sweetener you put in your coffee may be detrimental to your health, according to new research from the Ramazzini Institute in Bologna, Italy. The study found that Splenda (sucralose) may be associated with an increased risk of leukemia, which led the food additive to be downgraded from “safe” to “caution,” by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Splenda’s classification as “caution” joins other chemicals of concern–saccharin is rated “avoid,” aspartame is rated “avoid,” acesulfame potassium as “avoid” and rebiana as “safe.”

The research team fed 843 lab mice varying doses of the sweetener from when they were fetuses until they died. Post-mortem analysis showed a link between leukemia risk and lifetime consumption of the chemical, reflecting that the more the mice consumed, the higher the risk of leukemia.

The researchers recommended that children and pregnant mother should avoid consuming any artificial sweeteners due to the potential health concerns, at least until further studies clearly show there is no cancer risk.

Despite its concerns, the Center for Science in the Public Interest still believes people are better off drinking diet soda than regular sugar-sweetened soda.